Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-15
IRON AROUND ATHENS.
Opinion of Miners and Foundry
Men of the Orc.

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From the Athens tGa.l Brnner- WatcaDaan.
Several gentlemen have been looking
about Athens recently hunting up evil
dences of iron. They did not have to look
far. There have been one or two mines
worked successfully In the past in this
immediate neighbOrhood. They are rich
In promise and many people believe they
could be reopened now.
With a view of agitating the question
and finding out exactly how we stand,
reporter called on several parties
who knew all about the matter and had
handled the ore which came from these
mines years ago.
WHAT MR.. LUCAS SAYS.
Mr.. f. W. Lucas probably knows as
much about them as any one. He told us
that during the revolutionary war there
was foundry situated at Hurricane
Shoals, in Jackson county, Ca, about Is
miles above Athens. This mine was on
| the Oconee river, and during the struggle
OF the colonies the mineral ore was used
in casting cannon balls. After this
| emergency the mines were abandoned and
the ore was undisturbed for 80 or 10
| years. Every one knew that iron was
there in beds or deposits, and the mine
| was destined once more to play impor-
| tant service in another critical period of
the country's existence.
In 1861, when the civil war broke out
| between the North aud the South, there
was great scarcity OF iron. The metal was
| not only for army uses but for the arts and
manufactures. Farmers, foundries and
merchants found 1t hard to get, and the
! price OF iron rose from about lOc.
| pound to $40. A private company &C
| cordingly reorganiZed the Hurricane
| Shoals mine, and Mr.. +. w. Lucas was
made President, Superintendent and
! General Manager. He employed an Eng
| ilsh expert and worked the ore about two
| years.
II found, however," said Mr.. Lucas.
"that this ore made fine castings, but we
were not 80 successful in turning out bar
iron. We came TO the conclusion that
This iron wassnot adapted to bar purposes.
To that extent, therefore, we fell short of
our plans. We made some bar iron, and
cleared some money. Indeed we were
enabled to pay back the money to stock
holders, besides declaring q dividend.
The war ended, and the emergency for
which we started up was removed"
what do you think was the trouble,
Mr.. LucasY
1--WE found that the ore was mixed with
sulphur and sand and could not be
worked TO advantage for bars. 1t WAS eX-
cellent for castings.
81 can remember" continued Mr.. Luz
cas-, "when party of English and Scotch
miners started out to explore the mineral
| resources of Northeast Georgia. They
found mineral deposits In several coun-
ties. They were really hunting for cop
| per- There are now in Banks, jackson
| and other counties, pits and caves dug by
| these parties VINO were close and scrut
nizlng in their work. They came to the
conclusion that they could find deposits
| OF almost any mineral in North
Georgia. These could be seen by dig
| giug, and occasionally could be picked
up along the ground. There were pock-
els and deposits Of minerals innumerable
copper, lead, gold aud iron; but they
| found no veins--nO connected traces of
minerals sufficient TO justify working
with profit. The verdict OF these experts
seemed to be that beyond Altoona noun
tain in Cobb or in Barlow county there
were no veins of ore, Nature seems to
| have shattered her shafts beyond that,
and TO have scattered her minerals in
| fragments far to the east. Very close
| search has not revealed any rich or con-
| tInuOus veins"
81 have known" said Mr.. Lucas, in
conclusion, that there are hills of ore in
this section from which iron could be
! picked up and worked into pottery and
even buggy Llres. Ihere are tons OF me-
teoric ore impregnating the soil for sew
eral feet; but deeper investigation has
shown that there was no sign of a vein,
and that 1.-the find" was superficial.
WHAT CAPT. R. NICKERsON THINKS.
The reporter very shortly after.
ward met Capt. Reuben Nickerson, who
! has been associated In the iron business
| for many years.
81 can remember as far back as 1863, ,,
| said Capt. Nickerson, "when :here was
| quite revival in the iron industry in this
sect on. At that time some OF the "gates''
or refuse from the Hurricane Shoals
works were sent To the foundry here, and
l found them good, tenacious material
for castings. They could be worked into
pottery, skillets. frying pans and the
like, and my impression Is that this iron
could be fashioned also into bar goods
The material WAS soft, workable and ten.
acious. l have also had specimens al
the foundry from Colts mills in Madison
county, in which there is 80 per cent. OF
iron ore. Then there were the Van Buren,
works at Clarkesville, which were
worked for awhile and abandoned. car
recall too that at Fowler's mills on tn,
Middle Oconee river, there were ores 8,
rich that the surface specimens wer,
| taken and made into hOrseshOesO